Page 246 of The Art of Almost Losing It
I’m never going to see him again.
That thought steals whatever warmth I have left.
“I want to go home.” I start crying.
I hear multiple voices, muffled through the heavy wood trapdoor.
“Help!” I scream. “Help, help! I’m trapped in here! Someone help!”
“Dani?”
The trapdoor opens, and a flashlight beam blinds me.
“Dani!”
“Graham! Help, help! I need to get out of here! Help!”
Graham lies down on the pine needles and snow and grabs my arms, hoisting me up, then he grabs me around the waist to haul me up the rest of the way.
“Help me, help me!” I keep screaming even as he gathers me to his chest.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” I sob. “I thought you were mad at me. I’m sorry.”
“No, Dani. You’re right, okay, about everything. But I’ve got you. I’ve got you. It’s all right, it’s okay. I told you I’ll never let you go.”
“I’m going to get your suit dirty,” I mumble into his chest.
“Don’t care.” He squeezes me tighter.
One of his brothers, Connor, hops into the pit to grab Lulu and my bag.
Lulu rushes to Graham and tries to climb on top of me to get to his face to lick it.
“I love you, Dani. I love you so much,” Graham says into my hair. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
One of his brothers pulls out a pocketknife and cuts the tape on my wrists, grim-faced. Graham gently works the tape off my skin then rubs my wrists and hands with his gloved ones.
“She needs to go to the hospital.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” I say around the sobs. “I really just need a bath…”
“She does look really pale,” Spencer says with concern.
“That’s how I normally look.” I sniff.
“What happened to her face?” Finn scowls.
“Errr—yeah, so about that…” I hear more footsteps crunch in the snow.
“I told you,” Graham snarls, clutching me tighter.
I look up.
There’s Frank with a shocked expression on his face.
Graham’s two older brothers have Kraig by the arms.
“Kraig!” I shriek. “It was you!” I push off Graham, batting away his hands when he tries to hold me.
